Supernatural: My Way
by Mrs Whomever
Summary: Melanie had a hell of a childhood. She finally was able to leave, but left her family behind. Dean and Sam are gone, but after a demon attacks the children in her town, she is left with no choice but to contact them, and pray that they'll help her.
1. Chapter 1: Help Me

It was dark; at best it was around 11 o'clock at night. In a small town in the middle of nowhere, a young woman was closing the bar. She was around 27, blonde, with her hair tied up untidily as she scrubbed down the tables. She was the only one left in the bar so she had AC/DC blaring from the jukebox at higher the recommended volume. She used to drown out her own thoughts, which were, at the moment, how much she hated this job. She helped herself to a beer and leant against the bar, closing her eyes and drowning in the beat of the music. A groan made her freeze. She slowly turned and rolled her eyes, "Oh for the love of…Bob!"

A man, approximately 47 years of age, was curled up in the corner hands covering his ears and muttering about 'trash music'. The woman impatiently turned off the jukebox and stormed over to him. With alarming strength, she lifted the man under the armpits and led him towards the door. "Come on sexy, another round and we'll get to know each other" slurred Bob, as he buried his nose in her breast. Wrinkling her nose in disgust, she kicked open the door of "The Hearth" and threw the man out in the gutter. He grunted with pain as he landed. The woman put her hands on her hips and sighed "Honestly, you're a nice old man, and yet you're a complete ass when you touch the liquor, and by the way…Eww! No way, despite what some people say, I have taste!" She walked back inside, leaving the man to his mother of a hangover. She took up her beer and settled back in her bar stool.

A terrified scream sounded from above. She dropped her beer, barely hearing the smashing glass. Sprinting up the stairs, she ran into room 11, where the continued screams were emanating. The sight that met her eyes would haunt Melanie Winchester forever. A mother was kneeling in the middle of the living room eyes staring upwards. Pinned to the ceiling in an achingly familiar way were her two 3 year old children. Melanie swallowed as her gaze fell on the wall behind the mother. Words written in the children's blood stated

_'You're next, Melanie Winchester'_

* * *

Dean was shocked to day the least. It had been years since she'd contacted him…years! He never forgot about her, he often heard her voice in the back of his head when he was making a bad decision. But 8 years seemed like a life time. He used to receive calls, email and text messages from her every other day, but after a couple of months even that died out. Dean glanced around the dingy hotel room once more. It was around 3 o'clock in the morning, darkness had already consumed Addison, Wisconsin, and Sammy was sound asleep. He looked back onto Sam's glowing computer screen and just stared in wonder. An email, from Mel?

_Dean,_

_It's been, well, too long since we last spoke. But this is an emergency. There's something here, in Double Oak, and it's big. I mean huge, dude, and I need you're help. You have no idea how guilty I feel about contacting you just for a job but, this is important, and I can't handle it on my own. It's killing kids, one was just a baby, with no links, no evidence, and no information that I can find. The only thing that is the same is the way they're dying. Dean, they're dying exactly like mom, and at every scene, there's a message left…for me. I'm getting interviewed by the FBI and I need help getting out of this own. We'll definitely talk when you get here, if you decide that you want to. Just let me know either way, Dean._

_Bye Dean_

_Don't tell Dad_

_Love_

_Mel_

Dean shook his head, it was all too simple, yet far to confusing for him to even comprehend. 'Don't tell Dad'? Why? And why hadn't she spoken to him before? Dean ran his hand through his hair and started to type.

_Never took you to be a speech writer. Of course I'll be there, ASAP. Stay out of trouble 'till I get there understood? And, begging? Really? Idiot._

_Dean_

Scratching his chin, he stood up and roused Sam. Sam groaned and dug his head deeper into the scratchy motel/hotel pillow. "Come on, Dude" snapped Dean as he paced around the room, throwing his things into his bags. Sam stood up and pulled on yesterday's jeans. "What happened, what came up?" asked Sam, startled to alertness by Dean's agitation. Dean didn't reply straight away, too busy running into the bathroom and grabbing his tooth brush and razor. "Dean?" asked Sam, more forcefully this time. Dean met his eyes, and threw his pack into his chest.

"Sam, move your ass. Melanie's in trouble" Sam's questioning gaze fell. Dean watched as Sam's face slowly but surely filled with sadness and, to Dean's dismay, hate. Silently, but every movement screaming unreleased frustration and anger, Sam packed up his own stuff. Dean sighed and closed his eyes as Sam stormed past him and out the door. He was not in the mood for Sam's crap. He muttered "Bitch" and slammed the door of their room behind them. Throwing their packs in the trunk of the Impala, Dean roared the engine into life, and gunned down the highway, breaking ever traffic law in, possibly, every state. Dean was reckless when he worried, and right now, his mind was going over Melanie's demise or arrest in slow motion.


	2. Chapter 2: Reunited

"Damn it Sam, we're not discussing this" Dean glared at his little brother. They were about an hour away from Double Oak, due to Dean's driving. Sam crossed his arms and stuck out his chin stubbornly, "well, I say we are, Dean". Dean tightened his grip on his baby's wheel and focused on his breathing. It was taking all his self control not to loose it. "Sam, I don't really care what you say, she's family!" Sam let out a hollow laugh, "She obviously didn't think so!" Dean looked at Sam.

"I'm serious Dean! She left, ok? Remember that? No note, no goodbye, just gone! Now after 8 years of silence, she needs your help with a job!" Sam shook his head disbelievingly "She's handled stuff on her own before, but no, you automatically just drive all the way to her!" Dean didn't bring himself to reply. No matter what Melanie had done, she always had a reason, no matter what. Even if it wasn't rational. And he couldn't bring himself to hate her, not when he had known her his whole life.

_Flashback_

_"Do you want to say good night to your brother?" asked Mary Winchester. Dean nodded and bent over the crib to kiss Sam on the forehead. "Night Sam!" he said. He turned at the sound of his Dad's laughter. 4 year old Melanie was in John's arms and giggling as John tickled her. "Hey Dean!" called Dad. "Daddy" exclaimed Dean, as he ran over to him. John picked Dean up and balanced him on his other hip. "Look at you two! You're getting so big! My best boy and my best girl!" Dean and Mel looked at each other and grinned. "What do you think, Sammy ready to kick around a football yet?" Mel and Dean laughed, "No Daddy!" John and Mary smiled, and sent the two children off to bed. "Daddy?" asked Dean. "Yes buddy?" aswered John. "Melanie isn't my real sister is she? 'Cos that's what Mommy said yesterday." John smiled and tucked his son into bed, "No buddy, she isn't, but you should still look after each other!" Dean's face became serious (well for a 4 year old),"Of course Daddy! She's my best girl too!" _

_Fire. Fire was everywhere as Melanie and Dean ran down the hall to their Daddy. They heard him scream, and terrified, they ran to find him. Melanie screamed and Dean grabbed her hand. Mommy was on the ceiling! Mommy was burning! Dad ran up to Dean and gave him his crying brother, "Take your brother and run outside as fast as you can, Now Dean, Go!" Dean nodded and ran, Melanie hot on his heels. Everything was a blur, sirens, firemen and police surronded the family as they huddled together on the roof of the Impala. Dean huddled in his Dad's side, Sam sound asleep in his Dad's arms, and Melanie, being restrained by two firemen as she tried to get back inside the crumbling house to save her Mom._

Dean shook his head and sighed, no. No matter what happened, that fiesty blonde was family. The Impala's headlights shone on a sign that "Welcomes you to Double Oak". Dean continued to drive down the main street, looking for 'The Hearth'. Pulling up to the homely looking bar, Dean turned onto Sam. "One comment out of you that doesn't help her, I swear I'll start swinging!" Sam rolled his eyes, and slammed the door of the Impala in Dean's face, pulling his jacket tighter around him. The bar was almost closed, only one or two drunks left. Dean looked around the bar, searching. Finally, his eyes came to rest on a bartender. She had her hands full with a drunk that was trying to feel her up. Dean smirked and stalked over to her, Sam sulking behind. "Hey, buddy!" Dean shouted. The drunk turned, stumbling a little. "I think that pretty little bartender needs a little space!" The drunk cackled "Screw you Boy!"

Dean's gaze turned into a glare. Startled, the drunk lifted his hands off the girl's ass and backed away. "Well" a voice laughed, "you should save girls more often, they're attracted to that. Wait...pretty sure you've already figured that out!" Dean turned, "Yeah, well, I was always smarter than you" Melanie unfolded her arms and laughed, green eyes twinkling. She was wearing jeans, a white singlet and had a cloth hanging out of her back pocket, and her hair was a mess. Dean chuckled at the so familiar sight."You wish Winchester!" Dean chuckled and hugged her. Melanie smiled and held on a little tighter, and muttered "I missed you" Breaking away from each other, Melanie's gaze turned onto the figure beside Dean. Her eyes widened, "Sammy? No way! Sammy, Oh my god!" she squeeled and wrapped her arms around him. Sam didn't return the hug, "It's Sam" he snapped as he unwrapped himself from her. Melanie's smile faded slightly, "Oh ok" Dean met her eyes, and shook his head. Melanie nodded and plastered a grin back on hr face. "Now, you boys want a beer?"


	3. Chapter 3: Why's and Wherefore's

Dean sat down on the bar stool and took in the sight of Melanie Winchester. Melanie had aged, not physically so, she still had the physique of a hunter born and bred. It was her eyes. The cat-like green eyes had lost the mirth that they once held, and was replaced with a look that told people not to cross her, and not to underestimate her. Her smile hadn't lost its glow, however. It was given easily and eagerly ad shone brightly in the dim light of the bar. It had been to long away from his sister.

"It's good too see you two!" she exclaimed as she placed two beers in front of the two brothers. Dean smiled and took a swig from his beer, "It's too easy to miss this face" he quipped, "but harder to miss that mouth" replied Mel. They chuckled. "Anything happened since…" Melanie trailed off, not wanting to say 'since I left'. Dean swallowed, "well, I've hunted, no change there, and…Dad's gone" Melanie, who had been scrubbing down the glass, looked up. Her eyes were drained of laughter and filled with shock, "You don't mean he's…" Dean shook his head, "Vanished, didn't leave any notice, and we can't find him" Melanie exhaled, relieved. "Well, that doesn't surprise me, damn marine, never got out of the whole 'James Bond' secrecy crap" Dean nodded. "Yeah, well what's happened with you? I mean, why are you here?" Mel turned back to the glass she was cleaning, "I wasn't always here; I travelled around, never staying in one spot long enough. Then I came here and was offered a job as a bartender, and a place to stay. With nowhere else to go, I accepted. Nothing interesting happened until about 3 weeks ago" Dean smiled, "interesting way to put it, now what is going on here?" Melanie shrugged, "No clue, and that's what's pissing me off! Kids are being killed, pinned to the ceiling with their stomachs gutted. Just like mom" Mel's voice broke and she turned away and placed the glass on the basin behind her. "Every scene there's a message on the wall in the kid's blood, the last one was "Is this getting to you yet, Winchester" Mel turned back to Dean and Sam, eyes pleading, "The cops are getting on my back, so it's getting harder to figure this out"

"Melanie!" called a voice. Melanie groaned, "Hi Dave". Dean turned around and almost laughed out loud. A classic stereotype of a geek ran over to the bar. Wearing a vest, jeans, his red hair oiled back and thick glasses on, he leant over the bar and close to Melanie's face. Mel grimaced and leaned away. "So, ah, I was wondering, ah, if you're handling the deaths ok, ah, seeing as, ah, it seems to be getting, ah, to you" Mel forced a smile, "That's sweet, Dave, and I'm fine" The kid smiled , "well, ah, that's good then. Does that mean, ah, you'll consider, ah, my offer?" Melanie grimaced again. "Dave" she said, her friendly manner now sounding forced, "I said no then to that deate, sorry, that still stands!" Dave smile fell, "Oh yes, well, sorry" Dave practically sprinted off. Dean chuckled, "Ouch! Heartbreaker!" Melanie sighed and rolled her eyes, "Kid practically stalks me! I find him around the corner everywhere I turn" Sam coughed, "Sorry, but, we have other things to do, so tell what you want us for, and we'll get out of here" Melanie turned to Sam, eyes flashing dangerously with anger and hurt, "Sure Sammy, I understand. Sorry that the fact that last week a 6 month old child named Sam died, with links connecting to me, is such a bother!" Melanie stalked away. Dean growled, and turned his emerald eyes to connect with Sam's hazel. "What the hell!" Sam huffed "Dean, I didn't come here to reconnect with her, I came here because I was forced to, and I don't want to stay here longer than I have to" Dean smirked "Sammy, you'll leave when I say we do" Sam stared at him with resentment, making Dean remember him as a moody, pubescent teenager, "I'm going to find us a room" and he stormed out of the bar.

"Crap, did I do that!" exclaimed Melanie, as she returned with a folder. Dean sighed and shook his head, "No, that was all him" Melanie sighed and muttered, "If I knew he was with you, I wouldn't of asked, I know he's still bitter" Dean grunted in agreement. "What about you?" Dean looked up, his golden-brown hair catching the light. Melanie was hugging her chest, her ash blonde hair covering her eyes, which were looking at Dean, terrified. It was a protective stance; Dean knew it well, having seen it since she learnt it at 6 years old. "No, not bitter" he cleared his throat, "Confused, but not bitter" Mel sighed, "I want to tell you, but I can't, it will ruin everything I worked for" Dean swallowed, "We told each other everything" This moment was getting way to chick-flick for him. Melanie nodded and cleared her throat, "Well, I gotta close-up, here's the evidence" she handed him the folder "legally and illegally put together" Dean smiled and sniggered. "Go over that when you get back to you're room, but don't stay awake to some ungodly hour, the interval between each killing is at least 3 weeks" Dean nodded and swallowed the rest of his beer. "See you tomorrow?" Melanie giggled "I have nowhere else to go!" Dean smiled and kissed her on the cheek, and left her smiling at his retreating back.


	4. Chapter 4: Melanie Reveals All

"You're finally back" snapped Sam, as Dean closed the door of the motel. Dean ignored him and looked around the room. It was better than the last one, the two beds double instead of single. "Nice room choice" muttered Dean, as he collapsed onto the unoccupied bed. Sam stared at the folder in his hands, "That the evidence?" Dean nodded and opened the folder, swallowing at the images of the dead children on the ceilings. Sam sighed sharply and snatched the folder off Dean's lap, "This will go faster if I do this" Dean glared at his little brother, confusion eating away at him. How could Sam hate someone that loved him beyond compare? That did almost everything to make him happy?

_flashback_

_12__ year old Dean walked into the kitchenette of the dingy motel room that Dad had dumped them in. He smiled at the image that met his eyes. Melanie was bent over a pan on the stove, and Sam bent over his homework. He walked over to Melanie and snatched the spoon from her hand. "Hey!" she exclaimed. Dean smirked, and licked the sauce of the spoon. "Dude!" snapped Mel, as she grabbed the spoon back. Dean just laughed at her "I'm starving, so hurry up with dinner already!" Melanie smacked him upside the head, "You cook then you ass!" She whipped around to face Sam, "Don't repeat that sweety!" Sam didn't reply, he was too focused on his homework to pay attention to his older siblings. Melanie smiled fondly at the 8 year old, "Sammy, I can hear you thinking from here! Calm down buddy!" Sam just looked at her, and continued to work. Melanie shook her head, dished out 3 plates of pasta and placed them on the tiny motel table. Sam packed up his books and ate eagerly, until he noticed the two other plates. "Dad's not going to be here for dinner?" Dean sighed and glanced at Mel, who nodded and grasped her little brothers hand. "No baby, he's working" Sam looked like someone ran over his puppy, "When is he coming home?" Dean shrugged, "Sorry, bro, we don't know" Sam hung his head. Melanie noticed "Sammy, take your plate and eat in front of the TV, your show's on" Sam looked up and sniffled "But I have to finished my math homework" Melanie ruffled his hair "I'll do it, go on" Sam wiped his nose and ran over to the couch. Dean and Mel just shared a sad smile and finished their dinner in a comfortable silence._

Dean shook his head at the memory. Sam didn't remember a lot of the things Melanie did. "Sam…" Dean started. Sam turned, stony-faced. "You're being a complete ass" Sam scoffed, "Whatever". Dean glared at him, "Sam, I'm serious! Sure she left, but you gotta forgive her sometime dude! She's family!" Sam stood up "If she was family, she wouldn't have left" Dean rolled his eyes, "Dean!" Sam snapped "She raised me like the mom I never knew, she help me through school all the time. She was the one that told me that I should to go to college!" Dean lowered his gaze. Sam sighed, "You never got it, and you still don't". Sam marched into the bathroom and slammed the door. Dean sighed and took off his jeans, t-shirt and climbed into bed.

* * *

Melanie rubbed down the bar, opening it for breakfast. Dean and Sam hadn't yet arrived and she was worried. Worried that Dean had lied when he said that he wasn't bitter, and worried that Sam had gotten into Dean's head. She sighed and tied the apron around her jeans, smoothing down her 'Metallica' t-shirt. A cold, resentful smile lit up her face. Her life really went down hill in a bitch of a hurry. Ever since…she swallowed. She couldn't even bring herself to think about that night, all those years ago. "Melanie?" Melanie closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, "Dave not now!" The young red haired man flinched at her tone. "Sorry to bother you, but I wanted to ask you if you wanted…" Melanie whipped around, "David, no" David's eyes widened, shocked. "I say no every time because you're not my type, and I don't like you in that way, so don't keep asking me!" She stormed past him, guilt finally making himself present. She didn't really want to talk to him like that, but there was only so much she could handle. "David, I'm…" Melanie turned to apologize, but David had already gone. Melanie shook her head "Fantastic, just another person that now hates me, great" she covered her face with her hands, leaning one hip on the bar. The case had to be solved, and quickly. She didn't want to alone again, but it hurt too much to be hated by Sam. She only ever wanted the best for him, raising him like she thought Mom would've if she was alive. But maybe that was the problem in the first place. She should've just let Dad tell her what to do, instead of fighting him every step of the way.

"Hey, waitress, can I have the breakfast special?" Melanie turned, grinning. Dean had slid into a booth, eyebrows raised questioningly. Melanie chuckled and slid in across from him, "You never could cook, could you?" Dean shrugged, "I never had too, not when you always did" Melanie shook her head, sniggering. Dean cleared his throat, "Sam worked on the evidence last night" Melanie's smile faded, "And?" Dean shrugged, "He thinks it's a demonic possession, considering the sulphur found on the ceiling" Melanie's eyebrows rose, "Really? I saw the sulphur, but I haven't seen a possession since I was 16" Dean nodded "I remember that, that was our first time hunting with each other" Melanie snorted "Yeah, and you broke all your ribs on your left side trying to hold down the son of bitch while I was trying to exorcise it" Dean laughed, "Dad was pissed!" Melanie rolled her eyes.

"Since it's a possession, who do you think it is?" Melanie asked, growing serious again. Dean sighed at the change of subject, "Sam thinks it's someone close to you, since the messages left lead to you" Melanie frowned "But I'm not close to anyone here" Dean shrugged "Sam might be wrong" Mel shook her head "I'll be very surprised if he is" Dean smirked, nodding. Silence followed, heavy with the words that were desperate to be said. "Screw this" Melanie exclaimed suddenly, getting out of the booth. Dean watched her flipped the open sign on the door to close and turn off all the lights. "What are you doing" asked Dean. Melanie glanced at him from the corner of her eye, almost afraid to look at him in case she chickened out of her decision. "I haven't seen you in 8 years, I'm not going to spend this time now in a bar. We, my friend, are going to watch all our favourite movies" Dean laughed, "You are one strange chick Mel" Melanie giggled and stuck out her tongue, "But you wouldn't have any other way!"

Dean was pulled upstairs into Melanie's hotel room. Dean was stunned. The room was filled with pictures of Sam, Melanie and himself at different points in their childhood. There was Sam's first day of school, Dean's 15th birthday and Dad's 43rd. One photo that caught Dean's attention was the one next to the bed. It was Melanie and Dean sitting on their Mom's lap, opening Christmas presents when they were three years old. "Woah" Dean muttered. Mel nodded behind him, "Yeah, there's a few photos around" Dean looked at her; she was crouching in front of the TV, preparing Hellraisers. Dean collapsed on the couch "I guess there's more than watching Hellraisers on your mind?" Mel sighed and sat down next to him. "I was thinking earlier this morning" Dean smirked, "Careful there, that's never good" Melanie slapped his thigh, "Shut up!" They shared a small smile, before Melanie continued, "You said you were confused about why I left. Confusion leads to anger, anger to hate. I can't loose you like I lost Sam…" Dean took her hand between his, "You haven't lost Sam…" He couldn't finish, he didn't know how to comfort her. Melanie laughed bitterly, shaking her head, "Yeah well, I have to tell you anyway…" She swallowed and ducked her head "I didn't want to leave Dean, it wasn't my choice. Dad, well, Dad told to leave" Dean's eyes widened, "Dad wouldn't do that!" Melanie shrugged, "Maybe not, maybe I forced him into it, but it happened, when one night he said he was working on a case and I found him at the local bar…

_Flashback_

"_You liar!" screamed Melanie as she stormed into the room._

"_Melanie, calm the hell down!" bellowed John, following in her wake. "Calm down? You told us that you were on a job, yet I find you at the local bar, feeling sorry for yourself!" A vein in John's temple throbbed dangerously, "Melanie" he growled. "No!" Melanie screeched, "I wont be lied to! You think you've got it bad? Dean and I are forced to look after a 15 year old pubescent child, while you drown in your own misery!" John shook his head, hissing, "I lost my wife!" Melanie sneered, "Well, I lost my parents!" John's eyes filled with shock, "What!". Melanie straightened up "Mom died, so did my Dad! The Dad that loved his __**kids, **__not his soldiers! I hate the new Dad!" _

_John clenched his fists into tight balls, "Enough" he murmured. Melanie fell silent. John may not have __yelled, but his voice held enough venom to scare all the things he hunted. "Leave" he whispered. Melanie didn't reply, confused. "Pack your bags and leave" Melanie frowned, "Dad?" John laughed bitterly "So I'm your dad now?" Melanie stuttered a response. "No" John hissed, shaking his head is disappointment, "You changed. You disobey every rule I put down. Doing that, you almost kill Sam and Dean! Now Dean is taking leaves out of your book and Sam thinks that he can go to college, I assume you put that into his head!" Melanie jaw set, "Sam deserves college, he deserves the best and that's Stanford!" John crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows, "It's too dangerous!" "That's bull…" John raised his hand, cutting her off, "Let me finish! You think you're Mary, but you're not, and you'll never be. You ruined this family and you ruined it since you were 4 years old" Melanie eyes filled with tears, "But Dad…?" John shook his head, "Leave, and don't contact us again" Melanie focused on the floor, but when she met his stern gaze, all tears had vanished, her face completely expressionless, "Yes sir" she mumbled, and she started to pack her bags. _


	5. Chapter 5: Consequences

Sitting on the edge of his bed back in his hotel room, Dean stared at the floor, processing. Soon after Melanie had finished her tale, Dean had just sat there staring, like he was doing now. Mel had noticed, and said that she had better go back to work, and had practically pushed him out the door. He could tell that she was angry and irritated at herself for even uttering a word, and didn't want to wait for his reaction. Dean didn't blame her for the fight, nor did he blame her for leaving, so that wasn't the issue. No. Dean rubbed his eyes and sighed. He couldn't believe that Dad had shoved the two of the people he loved away from him. He felt like he was drowning, drowning in the sea of his Dad's rules and authority. He was torn, between the love of his father, and the love of his brother and best friend. Sam and Melanie seemed to have made their choices pretty quickly, why couldn't he? The door clicked, and Sam entered, returning from a supply run. Dean had insisted that he needed peanut M&M's, just to get some time alone to think. Sam stopped abruptly in the doorway, "Dean?" Dean looked up, poker face already successfully in play, "M&M's, score!" Sam shook his head, ridding his head of the worried thoughts that had temporarily filled it at the scene of his brother with his head in his hands. Sam threw the bag at his brother, "Seriously, you need to stop eating all these unhealthy foods, you'll get fat" Dean rolled his eyes and patted his rock-hard stomach, "Please, I'll never get fat, I'm far too good-looking for that" Sam scoffed, and focused on his laptop again. Dean's mind started to sway back to the conversation that he and Mel had earlier that day.

"_I can't loose you like I lost Sam…"_

"_Dad told me to__ leave…I didn't want to…"_

"_Dad wouldn't do that"_

"_Maybe not, maybe I pushed him into it…"  
_

Dean shook his head, he needed quiet, he didn't want to think about this anymore. He wanted to face Dad, but then again, Mel wouldn't want him to know that she'd contacted him, and going against what he ordered her to do. He wanted to talk to Melanie again and reassure her that he didn't blame her for the fight, even though she probably had overstepped the line. He never felt more conflicted in his life. "Dean? Dean!" called Sam. Dean jumped, startled at his brother's raised voice. "What's the plan?" Dean shook his head, frowning, "What plan?" Sam raised his eyebrows, "The plan for tonight, the whole exercise the demon fiasco? Or has that completely lost your interest?" Dean shook his head again, stunned at his own cluelessness.

Sam sniggered, "Your hair must be blonder than I thought, anyway, I did some more research while you were out at breakfast, and it ends up that this sort of demon has been seen before in…" Sam double checked his laptop "…Alabama. The surviving victims say that they thought they felt a presence on the street and in the house at the time of the murder, so whatever's doing this knows the victim, and has a morbid fascination with seeing them in emotional pain" Dean grimaced, "Gross, so what's the plan?" Sam shifted in his chair, smiling slightly and being given the opportunity to plan this hunt, "Well, seeing as this thing has an obsession with Melanie, I say we hang around the bar tonight and see if it shows up. Hopefully it does because I don't want to be here for another three weeks" Dean couldn't say that he agreed with him. So he just made a non-committal grunt, being traditionally 'Dean'. "So we basically have nothing else to do today but hang around here?" Sam nodded, "Couldn't have better company then, hey?" Sam through a pillow at Dean. "Bitch" grunted Dean, as he turned on the TV. Sam snorted, "Jerk"

* * *

Melanie was rushing behind the bar. It was a 21st and a 9th birthday party, and she had decided that drunk 'almost' adults, parents and kids at 7:00 at night were not a good combination. During the past hour, she had been asking the drunks to quiet down, listening to the irritating complaints of the parents and she had been pinched on the ass one to many times for her liking. Her patience was nearing its peak, and it wasn't helping that she was nervous about the little 9 year olds running around. All the murders had been happening at her bar, and whatever was doing it could be here at this very moment. The very thought of that made her shudder. Her ears were ringing with the sound of "Bartender!", like somehow that was her name. Suddenly, a very familiar chill crept up her spine, and all sound was drowned out. Her instincts kicked in. She put the glass she was holding down slowly and she crouched behind the bar. Her hand crept down into her boot, carefully pulling out her bowie knife. Her hands were trembling with adrenalin, her eyes closed slightly and she stood up, hiding the knife behind her back. A laugh filled the air, and she was thrown back onto the wall. Glass splintered and shattered, making her flinch with pain as it entered her back. Screams were echoing all around her, as she looked around wildly trying to see her attacker. Her mind was becoming fuzzy, "You son of a bitch" she yelled as her mind succumbed to unconsciousness. Her eyes found the demon, and her mind was filled with black eyes and white teeth before she lost her sight altogether.

* * *

Black Sabbath blared inside the motel room. Dean groaned, "Sam?" Sam didn't reply. Dean growled, leaning over to the bed side table. Eyes still closed, he answered it. "Hello" he muttered. He sat up so fast he felt woozy, the soldier in him violently awake. Screams were coming from the receiver.

**"I've got her" **a voice cackled.


	6. Chapter 6: The Attack

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry it took so long, but hopefully it appeals to you!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the boys (Although i play with Dean quite a bit) and i also do not own the idea of Supernatural (although i would give anything to own it!)**

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Melanie groaned as she tried to open her eyes. She winced and closed them again "Note to self, don't do that". A chortle was heard. She forced her eyes open again. She found herself looking at her attacker. Her eyes widened. She was focusing on a black eyed David. "Dave?" she exclaimed. David laughed, "Surprised?" Melanie shook her head, ignoring the pain shooting through her skull. David scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Of course you are, who would guess the poor little kid that was in love with you? You should have said yes to me Melanie, things would've been a whole lot different" Melanie rose an eyebrow, "Yeah, well, I have this weird thing against child-killing demons, terribly sorry" David chuckled "That's it, keep your bravado up! Even though you're terrified about what's going to happen to you" Melanie scoffed, struggling against her invisible bonds holding her to the wall. David stalked up to her, face inches from her, "But I'm not going to do anything to you, not yet. I'm going to let you suffer, but first you need to be the bait" Melanie met his gaze defiantly, "I'm shaking in my Gucci boots" David smirked, "Come now, play along, you need to attract the real victims. Sam and Dean are right outside, and they need a show" Melanie gasped slightly. David leered. In a lightning fast movement, he snatched Melanie's bowie knife from the bar and stabbed in deep into her right shoulder. Melanie gasped and cried out in agony before stifling it, pleading in her head for Dean and Sam to stay outside. Blood dripped down the knife, which Dave dug deeper and deeper into her shoulder. Melanie bit her lip so hard she drew blood. "You sick bastard" roared Dean, kicking open the door and tackling him to the ground. Melanie yelled in anguish. David hadn't let go of knife, it was tugged across her chest for about 3 inches before David released it. Sam ran in and caught Melanie as she fell to the ground. Placing her down gently, he yelled "Don't move, and try to stop the bleeding!"

The patrons were clustered around the bar, screaming and carrying on. "Shut up and help me!" screamed Melanie, frustration, desperation and pain colouring her tone. Dean grunted as he retracted his fist, beating the demon's face again and again, face screwed up in concentration. David smiled, blood coating his teeth, and his black eyes going an interesting shade of purple. Dean cried out as he found himself floating upwards, hitting the ceiling with a grunt. Sam rushed over, pointing the gun at David's neck. David chuckled and Sam soon found himself pinned to the ceiling next to his brother. "Well, Hi there Sam" Dean grunted, as he tried pull his arm off the ceiling. Sam groaned in reply. David glanced over his shoulder, noticing Melanie. She was trying to stop the bleeding from her deep wound. "How excellent that worked out" he drawled, as he returned his gaze to the two struggling men. "What is this? Why are you going after her?" asked Sam, still resisting the force holding him upwards. David tilted his head, grinning maniacally, "I couldn't resist! I arrived at this town, not intending to stay, but then a pretty young blonde thing arrived. I felt her before I saw her and I knew I hit the jackpot": he bowed at her "I met one of the most torn up, frightened, desperate and depressed people I had ever met" He pointed at Sam and Dean, "Thanks to you two" Melanie hissed, "Stop it" David ignored her. "You two showed her true happiness; you two were her only family. Then when her own adoptive father abandoned her, you, little brother, you shoved her further and further away"

Sam clenched his teeth and shook his head, "No!" David laughed "But you did! What a true brother would've done, you didn't do! You didn't find out why she left, you didn't answer the phone in the rare times that she was able to call you! Why Sammy?" David frowned, "Awwww. Little Sammy thought she'd abandoned him too. Just like Mommy dearest? Dean still trusted her! Did all those years that she was there for you, all those times she comforted you when you were sick, injured or crying? All the times she ever made things joyful again, mean nothing?" David reached up and whispered in his ear, "Thanks to you, you and you're brother will die just like Mommy, and Melanie will have to watch a family member die…again" A groan made David release Sam and turn. Melanie had stood up, leaning against the bar. David laughed, "Oh the cripple has made a come back!" his smile slid off his face, "Too late" he growled. Sam and Dean shouted out in pain. Blood appeared on their T-shirts. Melanie stared up at them briefly, eyes filled with terror. "That's it Melanie, feel the fear creep up on you. You dream about this don't you? How does it feel that your nightmares coming true?" Melanie closed her eyes, jaw clenched, steeling herself. Her eyes opened and David stopped gloating. She was glaring, her eyes filled with determination and hatred. She opened her mouth and murmured. David blanched. Melanie was hissing an exorcism. "No!" Melanie smiled, hardly taking a breath. David screamed "You will always live in fear! You will never rid yourself of it! Your precious family will be wiped out, and you will be all alone, desperate and afraid" Melanie continued the exorcism unabashed. David screamed louder, the smoke starting to billow out of his mouth. Melanie completed the exorcism, looking disgusted at the sight. "I'm not afraid" she whispered. David let out a final screech before collapsing, all smoke disappearing. Dean and Sam fell to the ground with a sickening thud. Melanie winced and sat back down, all colour drained from her face. Dean groaned and sat up, crawling over to Sam and Melanie. Melanie met Dean's concerned gaze, panting.

She wheezed "Whoo! Linda Blair, eat your heart out!"


	7. Chapter 7: Goodbye Brother

"I hate hospitals" grumbled Melanie. Dean pushed her back down into the pillows, sighing. "Well, if you stop squirming you might get out of here faster" Melanie crossed her arms, mumbling. Dean smiled fondly, brushing her hair out off her neck, "Sorry, I tackled him" Melanie glared at him, "It's not your fault, now shut up and help me get out of here!" her voice turning into a plea. Dean shook his head chuckling. A knock made him turn. Sam was standing in the doorway, holding two cups of coffee. Melanie grinned at him, "Hey" Sam walked in, tentatively, passing the cup to his brother. "I talked to the nurse; she says that you can be released in a couple of hours" Melanie beamed, "Great, then I can get back to... well, my room anyway" She looked down and picked at the hospital blanket. Sam reached over and grabbed her hand; "I just want to say, I'm so sorry" Melanie looked up, shocked. "I didn't know what happened, but I promise, I'll do anything to make it up to you, I mean, you deserve that. You deserve a good brother, and you were always good to me. You were my mom and my sister, and" He laughed, "I missed you" Melanie smiled; eyes shining slightly, shaking her head fondly,"You're such a girl Sammy boy" Sam and Dean chuckled.

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"Sam, let go of me, I got stabbed in the chest, so I can still walk" Melanie disentangled herself from the taller man and walked into her room. Sam and dean followed her, sighing in frustration. Melanie collapsed onto the couch and opened a bottle of beer, offering one to Dean who snatched it gratefully, sitting down carefully next to her, trying not to jostle her. Sam sat down on the other side of her, "So I'm not allowed to run" she started to count on her fingers, "Work, make any sudden movements or drive" Her head fell back against the couch and she groaned, "How boring" Dean patted her knee, sympathetically, "You can't sit there and expect me to believe your going to listen to the doctor's orders" Sam pointed out. Melanie sat back up, "Nope, not at all" Dean laughed, shaking his head. Melanie's smile slid off her face, "Well, when are you going back on the road?" Dean stopped laughing abruptly, and Sam seemed suddenly fascinated with his beer bottle. Melanie shook her head, "Come on guys, we all know you weren't going to stay here for long. So have you found a new job yet?" Sam sighed, and nodded. Dean looked up "I didn't know that" Sam shrugged, "I found it when we were still fighting" Dean nodded. Melanie stood up, hands on hips, "That was over 4 days ago, Sam, was it serious" Sam refused to meet her eyes as he shrugged again. Melanie sighed, rolling her eyes, "Well, you better go sooner rather than later!" Dean started to protest, "You're still hurt, we've missed cases before"

Melanie raised her hand, stopping him mid-sentence. "You know I hate it when we miss cases" she exclaimed, distressed. She pinched the bridge of her nose, "Dean" she looked up, eyes shining with unshed tears, "We both knew this was going to happen" her voice fell to a whisper, "Why drag it out longer than it has too?" Dean didn't reply, he just looked at her. Melanie stared back, examining his face as if she wanted to burn the image into her memory. Dean looked so young, she thought, sadly, so innocent. His hair was mussed all over the place, pale freckles sprinkled around his nose, and his emerald eyes filled with hurt. Melanie sighed, sniffling. She'd missed the man her best friend had turned into.

Dean's sigh mirrored hers, as if he had been doing the same thing. Dean placed his beer firmly on the table, "Come on Sam, let's go" Sam started to object, but Dean silenced him with a scowl. Sam got up obediently, following Dean to the front door. Melanie exhaled, willing herself not to start crying. She followed the two men, when Dean turned. She looked up at him, not saying a word. A silence was passed between them that was heavy with emotion and unsaid phrases. Finally they turned away. Sam hugged Melanie, muttering promises of seeing her again and staying in touch. She hardly heard him. Finally she closed the door on the two men that had recently put her life back together again. Before she did however, she once again met Dean's gaze. Though neither of them would ever admit it, they both felt the same emptiness fill their hearts at the thought of goodbye. They looked away at the same time, Dean walking down the hall, and Melanie leaning against the closed door. Melanie finally let the tears fall freely.

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Dean and Sam returned to their hotel room, and slowly packed away their things. They didn't meet each other's eyes, as they walked around there room. Dean wasn't feeling or thinking anything. That was the point. Dean felt hollow. Sam felt guilty, guilty that he hadn't gotten his act together sooner, and guilty that he hadn't argued against the fact that they were leaving. Dean returned the room key to the 50 year old women at the reception desk that was eyeing him up, and Sam loaded up the Impala. They started up the car and soon found themselves on the highway. The Impala was heavy with silence between the two boys that it almost hurt Sam's ears. The only sound that filled the car was AC/DC. After several minutes of this, Dean pulled the car to the side of the road. He got out, rubbing his face, and leaned against the hood. Sam followed suit and sat down next to his big brother. Dean scratched his head and turned to him, "You do realise this" He gestured to the surroundings, "Is the dumbest, stupidest and most unreasonable thing we've ever, ever done" Sam nodded, chuckling, "Hell, yeah" He glanced at Dean from under his bangs. Dean was smiling, nodding his head. Finally Dean, leapt off the hood, and practically sprinted back into the driver's seat. Sam laughed out loud, and sat back down in shotgun. The screeching of the Impala's tyres echoed down the empty highway, as Dean turned his baby, in his opinion, homeward bound.


	8. Chapter 8: Look Out World

**Hopefully i'm not overdoing this and that you wonderfull people still love it...there will be a sequel so hopefully u like that 2. This chapter wouldn't leave my head. Dont own but GOD i wish i did...sidles up to Eric Kripke well hi there!**

Dean was sitting in the Impala, twiddling his thumbs. Well, figuratively, Dean Winchester doesn't twiddle his thumbs. He checked his watch for the fifth time in the last minute. He rolled his eyes, and let his head fall back onto the seat. Finally, a whole minute later, Dean got out of the car, and leant against the door, watching as Sam nudged open the door of 'The Hearth', struggling underneath a huge pile of duffle bags, covering his face as he stumbled. Dean smiled as he saw Melanie locking the bar door, beaming and completely empty-handed. He gestured to the walking pile of bags that was his brother, "Do you really need all that stuff?" Melanie feigned annoyance, "For your information, Mister, the bags on the left side…" She nodded towards the bags on the left side of Sam, "are all my favourite guns and knives etcetera. All the bags on the right…" She pointed to the fewer bags on the right, "are full of things that every normal female human being needs" Dean bit back the retort that came bubbling to his lips, and helped his taller brother place the bags semi-neatly in the trunk. Dean shook his head in disapproval at the sheer weight of each bag.

"Damn, I left my phone upstairs, Mel, can I have the keys?" asked Sam, panting slightly. Melanie threw them over the car. After Sam was gone, and it was just Melanie and Dean, leaning against the car. Although you get the impression that Dean hated public displays of affection, Dean was always different with Mel. Melanie never understood why, but when Dean wrapped his arm around her shoulder, she sighed and leaned in closer. She wanted to say something but Dean beat her to it, "I'm sorry" he whispered into her hair. Melanie shook her head, "Don't be stupid, you came back, that's all that matters, and the past is the past, nothing can change what happened. Anyway" she fiddled with the hem of her denim jacket, "I don't know what I was going to do anymore, it was hard enough not seeing you for eight years, but just seeing you again…" She shook her head, stubbornly fighting back tears. She may not be a full Winchester, as her parents left her to May Winchester after they died in a car accident, but as she was raised as one of the boys, she contracted the aggression, stubbornness and the fixation of keeping her family safe. Dean shrugged "So it wasn't my fault, it doesn't take away the fact that I should've known something was up. I'd do everything and anything to make it up to you, I swear" Melanie straightened up and stared up him, smiling slightly. She took in the green eyes. They really were beautiful, hiding the emotion and heart that Dean really possessed. Dean did the same, almost laughing at the defiance, strength and piercing quality of the cat's eyes she had. They reminded him of the eyes in the pictures he had of Mom. That's how they were when Sam came out the door, Dean's arm over Mel's shoulder, just blatantly staring at each other, looking like if they looked away, the world would end, and they'd never get another chance. They didn't notice Sam standing there, and for a few minutes Sam just stood there, awkwardly. Finally, he cleared his throat. Dean and Melanie leapt apart, walking over to the other side of the car, not even acknowledging his presence. Dean ran his hand through his hair nervously and muttered something to Sam that sounded like "Great timing bitch". Sam chuckled slightly and climbed into the passenger seat. Melanie grinned openly as Dean pulled out into the road. After eight long and miserable years where it felt like her life couldn't get any worse, she was saved. She was finally back where she belonged, in the middle of the back seat of the Impala. She smiled as Dean placed her favourite cassette in the radio, and nodded to herself. Yeah, she got her life back. She was finally hunting with her brothers again.

**_And God help anything that got in their way._**


End file.
